New Releases by Joyce Dunbar

A collection of twelve new stories featuring the lovable characters ofMouse and Mole, perfect for reading during ''Twixmas'' with one story for each of the twelve days after Christmas.

Mouse and Mole''s charming, gentle and humourous adventures continue in this new addition to the much-loved series.Contains three stories:1. The Secret of HappinessMole dreams that he finds the secret of happiness and wakes a grumpy Mouse to tell him, but then Mole instantly forgets! Mole spends all day trying to remember, bringing Mouse and all their friends to join his search, but will he manage to discover the secret again?2. This Way and ThatMole sets off for a walk going this way and that, but Mouse keeps asking him to run errands for him. But why is Mouse making Mole run these seemingly useless errands, and will Mole ever be able to go for his care-free wander?3. A Good ReadMouse and Mole sit down for a good read, but Mole can''t stop fidgeting and distracting Mouse. Whether it''s finding a place to sit, having hiccups, itching and scratching or yawning, Mole just can''t stay still.

Mouse and Mole try to give their friendship a fresh start but realise they can''t go without seeing each other, even for a day. Mouse and Mole''s charming, gentle and humourous adventures continue in this new addition to the much-loved series, perfect for shared reading with younger children and for older children to read independently.

"Wenn das Wetter schön ist, machen wir ein Picknick im Wald. Wir schmieren Brote mit Käse und Gurke und nehmen unseren neuen Picknickkorb mit", sagte Maus. "Oh ja, das machen wir!", rief Maulwurf. "Aber was ist, wenn das Wetter morgen nicht schön ist?" "Dann setzen wir uns in unsere gemütlichen Lehnstühle vor dem Kamin und rösten Kastanien und toasten Teekuchen. Und dazu trinken wir heißen Kakao." Ganz gleich, wie das Wetter ist: Maus und Maulwurf wissen, wie man den Herbst genießt!

Book Band: Lime, ideal for ages 6+ A powerful and personal story from Joyce Dunbar about what it''s like to experience hearing difficulties. ''Joyce Dunbar is one of the best writers for children today.'' Guardian Dylan can''t hear as well as he used to be able to and he doesn''t want to be different from his friends - he wants things to go back to the way they used to be. As his hearing gets worse he becomes more and more isolated from his friends. Luckily his dog Pluto is there to keep him down to earth... This heartwarming story from Joyce Dunbar has beautiful black-and-white illustrations by John Shelley and is perfect for children who are developing as readers. The Bloomsbury Readers series is packed with book-banded stories to get children reading independently in Key Stage 2 by award-winning authors like double Carnegie Medal winner Geraldine McCaughrean and Waterstones Prize winner Patrice Lawrence. With engaging illustrations and online guided reading notes written by the Centre for Literacy in Primary Education (CLPE), this series is ideal for home and school. For more information visit www.bloomsburyreaders.com. ''Any list that brings together such a quality line up of authors is going to be welcomed ... Bloomsbury Readers are aimed squarely at children in Key Stage 2 and designed to support them as they start reading independently and while they continue to gain confidence and understanding.'' Books for Keeps

Maulwurf hat es im Gefühl: Heute wird irgendetwas Tolles passieren! Aber Maus weiß es besser, denn Überraschungen ereignen sich nie dann, wenn man sie erwartet. Überhaupt ist Maus ein bisschen weiser als sein verträumter Freund. Und genau deshalb sind die beiden auch so ein gutes Team. Zusammen freuen sie sich über die erste blühende Narzisse, schaukeln gemütlich in ihrer Hängematte und feiern mit all ihren Freunden Maulwurfs Geburtstag - vollkommen überraschend, weil Maulwurf ihn selbst nämlich glatt vergessen hätte. Aber zum Glück hat er ja Maus, seinen ganz besonderen Freund fürs Leben.

"¡El pato está enfurruñado! El estanque está seco y, lo que es peor, una pequeña nube gris lo sigue por todas partes. ¿Qué pueden hacer los amigos del pato para animarlo?"--Back cover.

When Duck’s grumpiness becomes contagious, what can possibly turn it around? Duck is in a very grumpy mood. The pond is dry, and she doesn’t want to roll in the mud with Pig, sing with Rooster, doze with Tortoise, eat laundry with Goat, or join any of the other animals in their pastimes. To make matters worse, the gray cloud that’s following Duck is growing bigger by the minute, and now her friends are feeling gloomy as well. What will it take to cheer them all up? Two prolific picture-book creators look to the skies for a humorous tale of not-fair-weather friendship.

An enchanting Christmas picture book about the magic and anticipation of Christmas Eve. There''s only one more sleep till Christmas, and Lucas and Willow, the moon and the stars are all waiting... Waiting for Christmas morning, and presents, and mince pies and fun. But, unbeknown to Lucas and Willow, the magic has already begun. As silently and secretly the toys come to life... Perfect for sharing on Christmas Eve, this atmospheric story will soon become a new festive tradition. Written by master storyteller Joyce Dunbar, with stunning, classic illustrations from award-winning artist Victoria Turnbull.

Meet Tibs, son of Toodle, son of Tiddles, son of Toby. A trusted employee of the Post Office. Tibs is paid 2s 6d a week to catch mice but he prefers making friends with them! Join Tibs on a curious cat and mouse adventure where everything is not quite what it seems.... There was trouble at the Post Office: holes in the mails sacks! Letters torn to shreds! Stamps licked through to the glue! When the postmaster discovers that mice are to blame, he decides to employ a brave new cat to sort them out. Tibs comes from a long line of Post Office cats, so his new career should be a piece of cake, except that instead of catching the mice, Tibs would rather make friends with them! Can Tibs teach them how to tidy up, instead of nibbling the post, and will he be able to deliver the reward that he promised? Soon, these unlikely friends are on an adventure that takes them down to the underground Mail Rail where, together, Tibs and the mice find themselves catching more than they bargained for! This charming story based on the life of a real cat called Tibs who was employed by Post Office in the 1950s to catch mice, earning a tidy sum of 2s 6d a week for his dedicated service. With a career spanning 14 years, the real Tibs became a Post Office celebrity. Featuring a cast of warm and loveable characters, this book will have children captivated by a nostalgic world of stamps, letters and underground mail trains.

A rollicking, read-aloud rhyme featuring Plunkett, the plucky pink pig.

Meditation and visualization, if approached in an inventive and appealing manner, bring enormous benefits to children. It can calm their anxieties, build their self-esteem, and teach them quietness and thoughtfulness. Consisting of 20 narrative-based meditations, this book, the follow-up to the hugely successful Nightlights, offers even more stories to help your child find inner calm and emotional balance and is designed for parents to use with any child between ages 4 and 8.

Does Duck dazzle as much as the peacock? Does he dawdle like the tortoise, or does he dash like the hare? No? Well, what does Duck do? Does Duck . . . dare? A gorgeous new story from the author of TELL ME SOMETHING HAPPY BEFORE I GO TO SLEEP and the illustrator of DADDY IS MY HERO.

Good puss or bad cat?Jekyll or Hyde?One and the same?Who decides?Puss Jekyll is the soft cuddly cat of the house grooming her fur, but at night she becomes Cat Hyde, hunting mice, all fang and claw. Page by page this delightful book explores the two very distinct personalities of the enchanting pet. Sleeping in a cosy spot or prowling in the moonlight, lapping milk from a bowl or stalking a defenceless trembling vole, playing with a ball of wool or savaging her prey, graceful and aristocratic or ruthless street fighter, can this really be the same creature?The beautifully evocative rhythmic and rhyming text is accompanied by luminous coloured-pencil and watercolour drawings that make the reader want to reach out and feel the fur. This treat for cat-lovers of all ages is from the highly acclaimed author of bestselling picture books such as Tell Me Something Before You Go to Sleep, and the illustrator of such classics as Martin Waddell''s The Pig in the Pond and the Boston Globe Horn Book Award winning In the Rain with Baby Duck.

Willa has trouble falling asleep until her brother reminds her of all the happy things that await her in the morning.

Lorenzo no puede dormir, no le gusta la oscuridad, debajo de la cama podría estar escondiéndose un monstruo. ¡Así es! Se trata de diminuto monstruo con un enorme apetito, que le encanta comer la oscuridad, la engulle toda. Hasta que muy pronto todo es luz, pero el monstruo sigue teniendo una gran sensación de vacío, que solo el cariño de un niño puede llenar. Jimmy Liao junto con Joyce Dunbar presentan una fantástica y conmovedora historia.

This little girl wants her very own miniature wild animal. Anything from a little snappy happy crocodile or a tiny trundle rumble elephant, to a pocket-sized grizzly bear. But as her big brother explains, a real wild animal would make a terrible pet. You can''t nuzzle a crocodile, or tickle a wild elephant, and a grizzly bear belongs in a cave not a pocket! But there''s one pet, a tiny pet, that loves to be tickled and cuddled. It''s like a tiger, only much smaller . . . A delightfully rhythmic tale, bursting with imagination, and a playful introduction to a world of wild animals.

A bestselling Taiwanese illustrator teams up with a renowned British author to present a fantastical, heartwarming tale. Full color.

Sous le lit de Jojo se trouve un monstre étrange, un monstre très petit, très éveillé, et qui meurt de faim !

Hiding under Jo-Jo''s bed is a tiny monster with a big appetite for darkness who gobbles up the night and grows bigger with every bite until there is no darkness left anywhere, from the earth to the stars.

A baby takes a journey in a shoe and after visiting the zoo, flying, and inviting the Queen to tea, he falls asleep and awakens to two very big surprises.